AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“But… how?” I whisper, grabbing my arms to prevent the dreadful trembling that takes hold of my body. “No, this is all wrong. We were supposed to come in together and—” I cut off my train of thought as I stare at the forest before me. There’s no doubt we are in the lands of Fernestia. The very trees look grimmer than any I’ve ever seen, with their long, spindly black branches, but it is the stench of blood in the air that taints the ground here.
I shudder. I have to find them. I won’t let this mission go awry.
I clench my fists and stride into the dead forest ahead.
I walk for what feels like hours.
The sky feigns night here, but I have an inkling that it is truly daytime as it is at Alkrose. Is there magic in these lands keeping the sun away? I can’t help but notice the underbrush reciprocating the bleak deadness of the trees. Sun-deprived.
It’s not until I change direction that I hear a sharp snap in the brush ahead. I instinctively squat and ready myself.
“Hello?” a familiar voice whispers.
I diminish the darkness in my palm as I recognize Rowan’s voice. I follow the sound and emerge from a black thicket of branches.
“Rowan? Where is everyone else?” I ask calmly so as not to spook him.
His auburn hair flashes as he whirls toward me and a grim frown crosses his lips. I swallow hard, hesitant to ask again as I’m not sure I want the answer.
“Edgar, we didn’t enter the same places.” His voice is panicked. “I… I was alone and there were people. I ran until everything became quiet. But I heard… I heard Lucina scream and I didn’t do anything. I don’t want to be here anymore. I want to go back to Alkrose.” His eyes are wild and filled with raw, contagious fear.
I flinch at the mention of Lucina screaming and take a wide step toward Rowan. “Where did you hear her scream?” I ask sternly.
Rowan’s eyes fill with horror. “That way.” He raises a trembling finger. His clothes are dirty and drenched from dew.
I grasp both of his arms and squeeze tightly to reassure him. We can’t lose our heads. We have to focus and remember why we’re here. “Rowan, we’re going to be okay.” He nods slowly at my words, like he desperately needs to hear them. “We have to find Lucina and the others. We need to stay calm and collected, okay?” Another slow nod. I smile to show him that I’m not afraid, even though a pit has formed in the center of my stomach. An eerie feeling wells from deep within me.
Rowan takes a steadying breath. “You’re right.” His brown eyes brighten with more determination. “Come on—I’ll lead the way.” He strides off with his fists clenched at his sides. I walk beside him as we head in the direction of the scream.
We walk in silence for a long while. The darkness of this place makes time seem irrelevant. It’s difficult to tell which direction we’re heading in but Rowan is certain that he’s leading us the right way.
The forest finally breaks and we arrive at a vast field that extends farther than the eye can see. I glance up to the sky and am met with a sea of dark, angry clouds. I frown. I was hoping to see the stars. Of all the things in the world that changed around me, they always remained the same, but even they don’t dare shine here.
My attention returns to the field as Rowan wades through the tall wheat. Their golden ears transform the ground into a gilded ocean.
Then, there is a wave of light. A million fireflies rise as Rowan steps through the field. Suddenly, I’m six years old again, Terra beside me.
I gazed down into my palm at the lone glowing insect that hummed quietly in my hand.
“Terra, why do they fly?” I asked. The glow in my palm fluttered as if it could fade at any moment.
Terra narrowed her eyes in thought. After a few moments, she smiled as she gazed at the stars. “They fly because their time is limited. Because their light is too pure for just the ground. They need to share their joy with the world around them while they can.”
I cupped my hands gently together as I watched the firefly flicker out into darkness. “And why do they have to die?” I whispered low enough that I wasn’t sure she heard it.
Her lips smoothed into a thin line. “Because they gave all they had to show us their light. They must rest—as we all do.”
I blink at the warm memory.
A crooked smile forms on my lips as I stare across the field. Their beauty only lasts moments before the insects find a new place to rest.
“You were wrong, Terra.” My distant smile fades into a frown. “They die because they are fucking bugs.”
39
Terra
The sun dips beneath the distant mountains as I mentally prepare to sneak into Za’Afiel. It was convenient that Elias revealed the doorway. Now we know exactly how to get there. It’s not ideal that I had to wait this long to return, but I didn’t have the chance given that Emerai noticed someone taking hearts and increased the guards. At least now it’s calmed down enough that I don’t think we’ll face much trouble if we stick to the third floor.
